Frickley continue build-up to new season with draw

Frickley Athletic had to settle for a draw in their penultimate pre-season friendly as they drew 1-1 at Glasshoughton Welfare with Louis Penty scoring their only goal.

Manager Karl Rose made a few changes to the side, bringing in forward Royale Johnson from Harrogate Town and goalkeeper Sebastian Malkowski.

Again playing a deeper role in midfield, Luke Hinsley went close in the third minute, but his 25-yard volley flew over the crossbar and Johnson found himself clear on the left of the box five minutes later, but his shot from a tight angle was just wide of the far post.

Luke Hornsey and Zeph Thomas combined well on the edge of the box for Hornsey to have an angled shot blocked before Thomas was forced off with an injury and replaced by Chris Wood.

Wood was just unable to reach a great cross from Hornsey from the left on 22 minutes but the Blues’ pressure told on 28 minutes when Hinsley’s 22-yard shot came back off the crossbar and Penty followed up to head in.

The second half was a scrappy affair although Hornsey put a 25-yard shot wide of the left hand post and Jameel Ible headed agonisingly wide following a corner in the 67th minute.

The Blues lost Jeffs through injury and Hinsley dropped into the back four and with eight minutes remaining a Glasshoughton striker was left in space to fire in from 18 yards.

Frickley Athletic went down to a 3-1 defeat to North Ferriby United in their last home pre-season friendly with new signing Zeph Thomas scoring their only goal on Saturday.

Manager Karl Rose fielded a strong side as he continued preparations for the Evo-Stik Premier League campaign to come and the Blues were given another good test, up against the 2015 FA Trophy winners at the SW Jackson Utilities Stadium.

Ferriby are managed by former Frickley management team Billy Heath and Mark Carroll and have several former Blues players in their squad, including goalkeeper Adam Nicklin, Mark Gray, Nathan Hotte and Danny Clarke.

They threatened in the second minute with Danny Emerton firing over from 20 yards while four minutes later a good run from half-way by Brad Dockerty saw him curl an 18-yard shot wide of the far post at the other end.

Ferriby went close to taking the lead in the 15th minute with former Blues’ player Hotte’s overhead kick from close range coming back off the foot of a post.

But within 60 seconds they went ahead as Tom Denton powered in a header following a corner by Adam Bolder.

The Blues equalised on 33 minutes when Luke Hornsey ran at the Ferriby defence before feeding Thomas who slid the ball under Nicklin from 15 yards.

However, three minutes later Emerton swung over a cross from the right and Denton met it powerfully at the back post. Home keeper Sam Leigh blocked his goalbound header only for Hotte to follow up to tap into an empty net.

James Kay put a 30-yard free-kick over the bar for the Blues and on the stroke of half-time Thomas latched onto a miss-controlled pass by Danny Hone, but his 18-yard shot was well saved by Nicklin.

Ferriby were presented with a great chance to stretch their lead seven minutes into the second-half when Jameel Ible was harshly penalised for a foul on Ryan Kendall inside the box. But when Ryan Kendall stepped up to take the spot-kick Leigh brilliantly pushed his effort away.

Leigh comfortably saved a low shot from Bateson while at the other end Macauley Parkinson curled a 30-yard free-kick wide.

A mistake by Parkinson in the 72nd minute presented Bateson with a golden opportunity to extend the visitors’ lead and he made no mistake as he latched onto a weak back pass to roll the ball past Leigh.